


Unlikely Allies

by LuvBusters



Category: The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Language, Rating May Change, Teamwork, slight depictions of violence, struggling relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24530056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuvBusters/pseuds/LuvBusters
Summary: When the Ghostbusters are in trouble on a call, it’s up to Janine to save them. But she can’t do it alone. She’s forced to reach out to others for help.
Relationships: Egon Spengler/Janine Melnitz, Peter Venkman/Dana Barrett, Ray Stantz/Original Female Character, Winston Zeddemore/Original Female Character
Comments: 8
Kudos: 10





	1. Uneasy Feeling

The rain was beating down steadily as the alarm clock sounded. Winston’s hand reached over and cut it off, then turned back on his side. He gently kissed his girlfriend’s temple as she groggily opened her eyes. 

“Oh honey, do you have to go? It’s Sunday!” she pouted.

“I know but this was the only time slot available for scheduling this bust. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he replied.

As he stood to dress, she watched with a lustful smile. “I’m really starting to get annoyed with your work schedule.”

Winston sat down on the edge of the bed to put on his shoes. “I’m sorry, Nadia. It’s not always easy to maintain a regular schedule with this job. But you should understand? You work in the medical field.”

“Yeah but it’s an office with a set schedule.”

He turned to face her. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Then he got up, grabbed his wallet and keys, and left. 

Nadia sighed, pulled the bed sheets over her and turned over, willing herself to go back to sleep. 

************************  
In another Manhattan apartment, another Buster was getting up and preparing for his day. Dr. Peter Venkman was testing the water temperature for his shower. His beautiful dark haired fiancé walked into the bathroom, dressed in only her robe. 

Dana wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, pressing her body against his. “I wish we could take a shower together. My mom is gonna have Oscar til later this afternoon.”

Peter turned around and hugged her up against his chest. He dropped a kiss onto the top of her head. “I know Babe; I do too. But you know what’s gonna happen if we do.”

She pulled back enough to smile up at him. “That’s why I said I wish.’”

“We’ll get more opportunities in the future; I promise.”

“Yeah! Our honeymoon! The wedding date is two months away!” 

“Yes ma’am! Are you still sure you wanna be Mrs. Dr. Venkman?” He gave her a sly grin.

Dana’s hands slid down to his buttocks, giving them a firm squeeze. “Oh yes!”

“Ah, what the hell?” Peter quickly untied Dana’s robe and let it drop to the floor. They got in the shower together, pulling the shower curtain. “If I’m gonna be late, I might as well be happy about it!”

****************************  
At the firehouse, the other two Busters were already up and ready to go. Egon had gotten up early and Ray was just getting out of the shower. 

“I hope Peter isn’t gonna make us late again,” Ray said as he passed Egon in the hall. He was wrapped in a towel and headed to the bunk room to get dressed. 

Egon was on his way to the kitchen for more coffee and a donut. “No doubt he will. Every time we have to schedule a bust on a Sunday, he’s late.”

“I can’t blame him! He’s engaged! It’s exciting!” Ray grabbed a donut then headed upstairs. 

Egon made his way downstairs to the garage area. “Thank you for the donuts, Janine!”

She looked up from her work, smiling. “You’re welcome!”

“I’m sorry you had to come in today.”

“I’m sorry I had to schedule this call for today. But it’s a possible Class 5, maybe 6. It couldn’t wait for Monday. Besides, I’ve got plenty of work to get caught up on!” She patted her hand on top of a stack of notes, files and invoices.

“Yes, well …..,” Egon trailed off.

“What is it?”

“I …. umm …. well, I was wondering …. maybe you …. would …. ahem ….”

Janine just smiled as she rested her chin on her hand, her elbow propped up on the desk. She adored Egon’s shy attempts of communicating with her.

Egon continued. “What I mean is ….. would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

Janine sat up quickly, blinking several times as she processed his question. “Like a date?”

Egon smiled as he watched Janine’s reaction. “Yes. A date. I’m sure we’ll be back in plenty of time to prepare.”

“Oh Egon! Yes!! YES!!” 

“Good. I’ll pick you up at your place. How’s 6:00pm?”

“Sounds GREAT!”

He simply gave her a warm smile before heading to his locker to get his jumpsuit. 

Janine sat back in her chair, grinning from ear to ear. 

**************************  
Thirty minutes later, Winston arrived at the firehouse. He smiled at Janine as he walked by her desk. 

“Morning Winston!”

“Hey Janine! Didn’t realize you were gonna stay too?”

“Yeah, I’ve got work to catch up on. Figured I might as well use this time to get started. How’s Nadia?”

“Pissed.”

“I’m sorry. Give her time to get used to it. You two have only been together for three months.”

“I hope you’re right. She’s different. This one feels like she might be the one.”

Janine’s eyes sparkled. “Give me her work address. She’ll be getting some flowers tomorrow afternoon.”

“Janine, you’re awesome!” He gave her the office name and address. 

“Got it! There’s donuts upstairs!”

“Thanks Janine! I’ll put a good word in with Peter to get you that raise!”

“Cool! I’d appreciate it!”

Winston gave her a playful wink as he ran upstairs. 

**************************

Another fifteen minutes later, Peter walked through the front doors of the firehouse. The others were waiting by Ecto-1. 

“Hey, sorry guys! I’m not THAT late!”

Ray and Egon gave him a smile. 

“That’s ok, man! We weren’t really expecting you until another twenty minutes!” Winston laughed. 

Peter quickly slipped into his jumpsuit and walked back towards Ecto. “Hey there, Red! You gonna stay and actually work?” He winked at her. 

She just returned a smirk. “Yes, Dr. Venkman, I am going to work. And I expect my next paycheck to reflect it!” 

“Are you still on that?”

“Yes and I will be until I see that raise!”

Peter’s smile faded as he rushed over to the vehicle. “Sure! We’ll discuss it as soon as I get back!” He slid into the backseat and closed the door. “Hit it Zed! Get us outta here!”

Winston laughed as he reversed the vehicle out of the firehouse. “Why do you give Janine such a hard time about a raise? We can afford it and she definitely deserves it!”

“He’s right, Peter! Janine does a lot! Face it - we couldn’t begin to run this place without her!” Ray agreed. 

“Indeed. Do you get some sort of pleasure in teasing her?” Egon asked, arching an eyebrow. 

Peter waved their comments off. “Yeahhhh, I just like giving her a hard time. Keeps life interesting.”

“We’re Ghostbusters, Pete. I’d say our lives are interesting enough!” Winston said. 

“She knows how irreplaceable she is,” Peter replied.

“Does she?” Ray asked. 

“Sure! Things would be too boring to survive if I didn’t tease her!”

The others laughed and shook their heads as Winston drove to their destination. 

****************************  
They arrived at their destination. None of the guys were anxious to get out of Ecto-1. 

“Man, this place gives me the creeps!” Winston admitted, looking warily at the building.

“Maybe this is the real reason Janine is worried about this call?” Ray suggested, his eyes quickly scanning the grounds. 

“This is a perfect opportunity to acquire some excellent readings!” Egon exclaimed, taking out his PKE meter.

“Spengs, only you would see this place as a true experiment!” Peter said light heartedly. 

Egon was the first to exit the vehicle, slowly followed by the others. 

They had arrived two blocks away from the infamous Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. The caller had informed Janine that strange lights and growling sounds had been seen and heard in the area outside Building 70 of the Center. 

“Who saw or heard these lights or sounds?” Winston asked as he strapped on his proton pack. “I mean, who in their right mind would be out here?”

“You just said it, Zed: right mind,” Peter pointed out. 

“Janine’s notes said that some teenagers were hiking and reported the sounds and lights to the head nurse in the main building,” Egon replied.

“Yeah, probably either snooping around or drunk,” Peter muttered.

Winston chuckled and nodded in agreement. 

“Well, let's get this one over with,” Ray said meekly.

“What’s the matter, Tex? You usually LOVE this stuff!” Peter said.

“I don’t know exactly,” Ray explained. “Something just doesn’t feel right.”

“Spengs, what’s the meter say?” 

“I’m getting residual readings already; nothing more specific yet.” Egon led the way.

Winston and Peter followed, with Ray bringing up the rear. He just couldn’t get past the sensation of extreme dread.


	2. Battle at Creedmoor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get bad for the Ghostbusters .... really bad.

As Egon led the way down a dirt pathway, the Busters realized they were headed towards one of the old buildings of the Creedmoor Center. 

“Hey Spengs, you DO realize where we’re going?” Peter asked, his voice laced with a hint of anxiety.

Egon stopped and turned to face his friends. “I don’t understand the trepidation you all are feeling. We have faced ghosts, demons and the like; how is it that a simple location can unnerve everyone?”

Winston explained. “You do know the history of this whole place?”

“Of course.”

“Well, it’s the stigma attached to it that’s bothering us.”

“Yeah, you know, all the secretive stuff that might have happened not to mention the stuff that DID happen!” Peter added. 

“And the fact that it’s creepy as hell and Ray looks like he’s gonna stroke out any minute!” Winston said.

“Yes, I understand that. However, Ray’s reaction is unusual. Normally, Peter is the one with the psychic tendencies?”

They all looked at Ray, who looked like he was about to vomit at any moment. 

“I can’t explain it; it’s just a ….. gut feeling,” Ray replied.

“Usually Janine has those!” Peter said.

“She didn’t look happy when she gave us the info,” Winston said. 

Suddenly, the alarm on the PKE meter sounded! Egon’s focus changed back to the meter. “It’s a weak signal but gaining strength! It’s getting closer! Class 5, possibly 6!”

The proton packs roared to life as they primed their throwers. The men stood firm together, ready to face whatever was coming their way. Soon, a bright white light could be seen slowly heading in their direction, up the pathway. As it got closer, a low growling sound could be heard. 

Egon was carefully monitoring the readings. “It’s getting stronger as it’s getting closer!”

“What’s the readings up to?” Peter asked.

“Class 5!”

Just then, a shadowy figure lunges towards them!

“FIRE!” Peter ordered.

All four streams locked onto what appeared to be a large wolf. It was roughly the size of a Saint Bernard with massive paws and a mouth to match. Long teeth shone in the light of the streams as it kicked and snarled. It’s fur was dark brown and matted. 

“Damn! Cujo is tough!” Winston shouted as he struggled to maintain his stream on the beast.

“Right! Increase the power!” Peter replied loudly over the growls of the animal.

Ray and Egon were having a hard time as well as they changed the settings on their throwers. Suddenly, the animal broke free from the streams and headed straight for Ray!

“LOOK OUT!” Winston shouted as he and Peter both frantically tried to recapture the wolf.

The beast attacked Ray before anyone could get it caught back in the streams. Ray used his thrower to hold the wolf’s mouth back from his face while he tried to use his feet to kick it off of him. 

Egon grabbed the animal’s head while Winston and Peter both pulled at its feet. They were able to pull it away enough for Ray to scoot out from under its weight. 

The wolf then used its front paws to reach for Egon. Peter and Winston still pulled it’s back legs. However, the animal was too strong and was able to wrestle loose from their grips. It turned around, facing them with a fierceness that had them quite concerned for their safety. 

Egon attempted to fire his thrower again at the beast, but it dodged the stream. Winston pulled out a knife from his jumpsuit pocket and charged the animal. He was able to get a few good stabs at it but nothing severe enough to cause damage. 

Ray tried grabbing the fur along its back while Peter had picked up a thick branch that had broken off of a nearby tree. He started beating its back while Ray tugged at it from behind. Egon had sprayed the wolf with pepper spray but it didn’t phase it. 

The wolf let out an unholy roar before pulling away from the men, standing up on its hind legs like a human. It stood about seven and a half feet tall. 

It came back down onto all fours, lunging at the guys again. They fired again but this time, the streams seemed to go right through it! The beast charged them. It used its head to ram Winston directly in his stomach. The blow knocked Winston into the air a bit, landing him head first onto the ground. He was knocked unconscious instantly.

“Come here, you damn mutt!” Peter yelled at the creature. He was holding the thick tree branch like a samurai warrior holds a sword. As the wolf ran at full speed towards him, Peter swung hard. He made contact against the wolf’s head, causing it to be disoriented for a minute. 

Egon and Ray again fired their throwers, this time catching the beast in the streams. That gave Peter a chance to fire his after throwing out a trap. Together, they lowered the wolf down into the trap, finally catching it. 

Ray wiped sweat from his forehead. “Wow! Glad THAT’S done!” 

Peter ran over to Winston to examine his friend. “Looks like a bad concussion.” He noticed Winston’s left arm was bent awkwardly underneath his body. “Probably a broken arm, too.”

“I’ll help you get him to Ecto,” Egon offered. 

“I’m gonna call Janine on the radio, let her know we’re headed to the hospital!” Ray said.

Peter noticed Ray was walking strangely. “You’re gonna need checking out too from the looks of it!”

“Just a pulled muscle in my back; nothing to worry about,” Ray shouted over his shoulder. 

Egon lifted Winston underneath his arms while Peter lifted his legs. Together, they maneuvered him towards the vehicle.

Suddenly, they heard branches snapping and growling. They turned to see two more wolf creatures running towards them!

“Ah, COME ON!” Peter yelled. 

“RAY! WE NEED HELP!” Egon shouted. 

“Ray? What’s going on out there?” Janine asked over the radio.

“Gotta go Janine!” Ray shouted.

Janine listened in horror from the firehouse as she could hear Ray screaming. “RAY!!!” 

The radio went dead.

Janine frantically tried to maintain her composure. “Ok, the call came from the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center or close by. I could hear animals, like dogs growling. So, they’re being ambushed from the sound of it.” She was talking aloud, trying to think of some detail that would help her understand. “I’ve gotta help them! But I’m gonna need some help.”

She dialed Dana’s number. “Hello?” Dana answered.

“It’s Janine. I don’t have time to explain. The guys are in big trouble and I’ve gotta help them! I need your help!” 

“What do I need to do?” Dana asked worriedly.

“Meet me at the firehouse! Wear jeans and a comfortable shirt! Something you can wear under a jumpsuit!”

Dana agreed, hanging up immediately. 

Janine called Ray’s girlfriend Andrea next and gave her the same instructions. Again, she agreed without hesitation. 

She then called Nadia. She explained the situation. “I know you and Winston haven’t been dating very long, but if you wanna keep dating, you’ll get over here!”

“Are you serious?! Is it that bad?”

“From what I heard over the radio, it’s no picnic. I’ll understand if you can’t help, but I need all hands on deck here!”

There was a minute of silence on Nadia’s end. Finally, she answered. “I’ll try.”

“Great! Meet me at the firehouse!” Janine hung up. She stared at the phone, contemplating her next phone call. “I don’t have a freaking choice.” She picked up the phone and dialed.

******************************  
Within forty minutes, Janine had changed into her jumpsuit and loaded her car down with extra proton packs and traps. 

Dana arrived by cab, followed soon by Andrea. Both women had a fierce look on their faces. “Who else is coming?” Dana asked.

“Hopefully Nadia … and ….. Peck.”

“Are you for REAL?!” Dana shouted. “Why the HELL would you call HIM?!”

“Like it or not, we’re gonna need some actual manpower on this one. He’s the only guy I know who would even halfway consider it. We don’t always see eye to eye with him, but he knows the business.”

“He also still thinks you all are frauds!” Andrea replied angrily.

“Exactly. What better way to prove this shit is real than to get him face to face with it?” Janine smirked.


	3. The Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine’s group heads out to rescue the guys!

Dana and Andrea put on jumpsuits: Dana was using one of Peter’s extras, rolling up the sleeves a bit to fit; Andrea fit into one of Janine’s extra suits. Janine stood for a minute, trying to think of anything else they might need. She stepped over behind her desk, pulling out a baseball bat she keeps underneath it. 

“Really?” Andrea said, surprised.

Janine grinned. “You never know when it might come in handy.”

Just then, the front door opened. Walter Peck entered, walking briskly up to Janine’s desk area. He was wearing jeans, a loose polo shirt and Timberland boots. 

“Alright Ms. Melnitz, mind telling me what the HELL is going on here?!”

Janine’s face was set in a firm, determined expression. She put her hands on her hips. “The guys went out on a call near the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. Something went bad; Ray radioed to tell me Winston was being taken to the hospital, but his call got disconnected. I heard the guys yelling and animals growling. That’s all I know. We’re probably looking at a Class 5, maybe Class 6.”

“What’s that mean exactly?” Dana asked.

“Big trouble; not Gozer big but big.”

The front door opened again, everyone turning to see who it was. It was Nadia. She looked extremely uneasy. “I don’t know what I can do, but I’m here.”

“Great! I’ll give you all a crash course on how to use the proton packs. Then we’re moving out!”

“You didn’t tell me what I’m doing here!” Peck pointed out.

“You’re here because four women ain’t gonna be enough! We need muscle; THAT’S where you come in! Not to mention, after all of this is over, I don’t want to EVER hear another freaking word from YOU that this shit ain’t REAL!”

“Did you ever consider that maybe I don’t want to do this?” Peck countered.

Dana stepped up standing directly toe to toe with the man. “I don’t give a DAMN whether you wanna do this or not! My fiancé and friends are out there! You WILL DO IT!”

Peck actually looked slightly intimidated, his body language softening. “Very well. Ms. Melnitz, please, begin this crash course.”

************************  
After a fast twenty minute lesson, the group was ready. Between Janine’s car and Peck’s, they had all the equipment needed. Dana and Andrea rode with Janine who led the way. Nadia rode with Peck. 

Sensing her uneasiness, he tried to start a conversation. “I’m nervous, too. For years, I’ve thought this whole group was nuts, even frauds. Over time, I’ve seen evidence that there are truly things out here to worry about.”

“Then why did the others make it sound like you don’t believe them?” Nadia asked, confused.

Peck shrugged his shoulders. “For one, I like giving Venkman a hard time. Also, it looks better professionally to keep these guys in line.”

“I always thought Janine kept them in line?” she smirked.

“In the office, she does. But as far as the EPA is concerned, I do.”

Nadia nodded, looking ahead out of the windshield. After a moment of silence, she spoke. “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I’m not a fighter; I’m a medical transcriptionist at a doctor’s office. I’m scared of spiders. What am I doing out here?!”

“I assume you’re dating one of them?”

“Winston.”

Peck grimaced slightly. “Janine had said before you arrived that he’s been injured. They were headed to the hospital when the radio went dead. I’m sorry to tell you that.”

Nadia gasped. “Oh no!” She took a moment to compose herself. “I knew this could be a dangerous job, but I never thought he’d get hurt.”

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Peck tried to reassure her. 

The rest of the trip was silent. Peck’s demeanor shifted to a tough guy facade while Nadia tried her best to hide the fear she was experiencing. Peck parked his car beside Janine’s, who had parked next to Ecto-1. 

Everyone got out and put on their packs. Janine inspected Ecto. Her eyes widened as she found a trail of blood starting at the driver’s seat and radio, leading into the woods down the trail. 

Andrea saw it and immediately got mad. “Whatever has taken Ray is gonna get hell from ME!” she muttered through clenched teeth.

Janine placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know and you’re right. We’re here to do just that. But keep it together, ok?”

Andrea took a deep breath and nodded. “I’m good.”

Janine checked with Peck and Nadia, making sure they had their packs on correctly. She could see Nadia’s hesitation. “I know this is a lot to ask of you, and trust me, I know how you feel. But I need to know: can you do this or not? We don’t have time to second guess ourselves. If you wanna leave, now’s your chance.”

Nadia looked into Janine’s eyes, desperately weighing her options quickly. “I think I’m ok.”

Janine gave her a reassuring smile and looked at Peck. He asked, “Do I get that same option?”

Janine looked at him with a straight face. “No.” Then she went to her car and retrieved her baseball bat. She slapped the end of the bat onto her palm. “Ok, let’s get these damn ghosts!”

*******************************  
Winston kept drifting in and out of consciousness. The wound on the back of his head had clotted so the bleeding had stopped. He had been placed on the ground with his hands and feet tied. His broken arm had been injured further when his hands had been tied. The others had been bound as well. They were all sitting in different areas of what looked like a huge bear cave. 

Ray asked, “where are we? I think I blacked out when that thing jerked me out of Ecto.”

“Looks like a cave or something,” Peter replied. 

“A den is more accurate,” Egon said. 

“A wolf den?!” Ray asked, worriedly. 

“I believe so, and we are apparently snacks for these beasts.”

“The HELL WE ARE!” Peter shouted. He tried to pull at the ropes around his wrists but sucked in air through his teeth. “DAMN! I think I sprained or maybe broke my wrist!”

“Any other injuries?” Egon asked. 

“Not that I can tell.”

“Winston really needs a hospital,” Ray added. “He’s not looking good. Hopefully, that call I made to Janine will get us some help!”

“If four men couldn’t get these things, how can SHE?!” Peter pointed out.

“We did catch one!” Ray said.

“Well, something else besides these wolves are present,” Egon said. “We were all rendered unconscious, but wolves are not capable of tying people up.”

“Great,” Peter mumbled.

Just then, they heard a shuffling of feet. The men looked to the entrance of the den to see two wolf creatures walking in. They were accompanied by a dozen small child-like beings. They were all four feet tall and their fur a light blue in color. They had hands like humans but their back legs had hooves instead of feet. Also, they had small horns on their heads and a short stubby tail like a goat. 

“Imps,” Ray whispered. 

“I suppose we can thank you morons for this?!” Peter spat angrily. 

Then, a taller hooded figure walked in. The hood was pulled back revealing a beautiful blonde woman. Her skin was as white as porcelain with eyes as blue as the deepest ocean. However, when she smiled evilly, long fangs could be seen. 

“No, I am the one responsible for this,” she hissed. Her voice was gentle but tinged with anger. 

“Ok Ray. Who’s she?” Peter whispered. 

Ray shook his head, completely confused. 

“I am Arianna, Queen of the Damned Souls!” she announced loudly. 

Egon smirked. “You mean Queen of the Oppressed Souls!” 

She glared at him. 

Egon continued. “The stories of what happened years ago at this institution are, for the most part, true. People were experimented on and tortured here. Legend has it that a woman swore to avenge them as well as herself before she died.”

“You’re that woman?” Peter asked.

“I am.”

“And now you’re inflicting pain on others as revenge?” Ray asked.

“Anyone who is foolish enough to come here will be my prey.”

“Well, hate to break it to ya lady, but we’re not here to discuss the latest gossip! We’re investigating reports of weird lights and sounds!” Peter said.

“I do not concern myself with why people come here. My only concern is that my pets take care of them!”

The wolves suddenly perked up, turning their heads back towards the hallway that led back to the woods surrounding their location. They started growling lowly, their mouths snarling and the fur on their backs standing up.

“What is it, my pets? More play things?” Arianna smiled wickedly.

“Janine!” Egon whispered, his eyes wide with fear and anxiety.

Suddenly, the wolves took off running fast. Within seconds, the guys could hear the sounds of yelling and proton packs roaring to life! Arianna vanished into thin air along with the imps.

“That’s more than one!” Ray shouted happily.

“Yeah but who would she have with her?” Peter asked.

Just then, the women and Peck entered, Janine leading the way. 

“JANINE!” Egon yelled. “Get OUT! It’s a TRAP!”

Janine ran to Egon, quickly using a small pocket knife to cut the ropes from around his hands and feet. “I don’t care! We’re getting you guys outta here!”

Dana had rushed to Peter’s aid as had Andrea gone to Ray. 

Nadia and Peck ran to Winston, who was waking back up again. “Oh Winston! Hang on! We’re getting you to a hospital!” she pleaded. 

As the men were all being cut free from their bindings, Janine caught them up. “We trapped two of those wolf things, but the others just vanished! We’ll get Winston on his way to a hospital while the rest of us finish this up!” 

Peck hurriedly helped Nadia carry Winston back to his car. He handed her the keys. “Go! He needs a doctor! I’ll stay and help the Ghostbusters!”

Nadia nodded and quickly left, on the way to the nearest hospital. Tears were streaming down her face and her hands were shaking so much, she could barely steer the car. Winston was in the backseat, moaning before drifting out again. 

Meanwhile, the guys had found two of their proton packs. Egon and Peter strapped them on. “Ray, you operate the traps if you think you’re up to it?” Peter suggested.

“I can do that,” he said as he struggled to stand upright. 

Egon smiled as Janine fussed over him, making sure he was alright. “I can’t believe you got Peck to come along!”

She smiled up at him. “I can be very persuasive,” she said. Then her face became serious again. “Come on! Let’s get whatever else is down here!”

“That would be one really pissed off bitch!” Peter said.

“And a dozen imps!” Ray added.

Dana assisted Peter up and headed towards the exit. “How’d you find us?” Peter asked.

“We followed the PKE meter readings!” Andrea said, then worry swept across her face. “And the blood trail.” She examined Ray’s leg quickly, finding a gash that was still slightly weeping blood. 

“Yeah, that wolf grabbed me by the leg and pulled me out of Ecto, then down here.” 

“And further injured your back, I’m afraid,” Egon pointed out. 

“I’ll make it,” Ray said, using Andrea as a crutch of sorts. She had one of her arms around his waist and supporting some of his weight against her side. 

As Ray and Andrea made their way out of the den, the others heard the growling again. They turned to see Arianna had returned, along with the wolves! 

“ATTACK!” she ordered.

The wolves ran towards Janine and the others. Egon stepped in front of her, firing his thrower at the beasts. “Janine! Get Ray and Andrea to safety!”

Janine opened fire. “They’re fine! It’s you two who need back up!”

Ray made Andrea stop long enough for him to hand off the ghost traps to Peck. “Get these in there and use the pedal to open!”

Peck took the traps and ran into the battle zone. He waited for the word to slide them out. 

Peter and Egon had the wolves caught in the streams. “SLIDE THEM OVER!” Peter ordered. 

Peck slid out two traps simultaneously and waited for the word to open them. 

Janine had gone after Arianna back into the den. 

The wolves were attempting to shift their energy and become transparent like one had done before. “OPEN EM NOW!” Egon shouted.

Peck hit both pedals, opening both traps together. Each one successfully pulled the creatures in. They writhed and snarled, but the white light engulfed them. Soon, the traps closed, each one containing a beast. 

As they struggled to catch their breath, Peter smiled at Peck. “Thanks Wally. Never thought we’d have you on our side!”

“Your Secretary is a force to be reckoned with,” Peck replied. 

Egon looked around frantically. “Where IS SHE?!”

“Ah Damn! She must’ve gone back in after that bitch! Where’s Dana?!” Peter realized.

The men ran into the den area. What they saw confused them all. 

Dana had been knocked across the room; she was in the process of getting back up. She fired her thrower again at Arianna. But she was too fast and dodged the stream.

Janine was fending off the imps and what seemed to be Egon! 

“Ok …… why are there two Spenglers?” Peck asked.

“It’s the imps!” Egon explained. “They can shift into any form they want!” He aimed his thrower at Arianna and fired. “We have to stop HER!”

Peck and Peter opened fire on the would-be witch. She had been distracted by Dana’s attempt. Their streams locked onto her and held her. Peter shouted to Dana, “THROW THE TRAP!”

Just then, three of the imps attacked Egon! They knocked him down to the ground, kicking and hitting him repeatedly.

Janine was using her baseball bat to swing at the other imps. She made contact with a few of them, hitting them hard, but they were quickly overpowering her. The imp that looked like Egon grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Janine’s eyes were wide as saucers as she tried to comprehend what was happening. 

Dana tried to get to Egon to help fight off the imps. But before she could get to him, one of them grabbed his left arm and wrenched it hard. Egon screamed out as he heard the shoulder pop loose from the socket. Dana pulled the imp away, kicking another one off of Egon. 

“Dana, help Peter and Peck hold Arianna! I’ll get the trap!” Egon said.

She grabbed her thrower and ran over beside Peter. She gave him a brave wink when he looked at her. 

Peter grinned back. “Alright! Let’s show this BITCH how it’s DONE!” 

Together, they fired at full power, holding the witch again. Egon threw out the trap, using his good hand to open it. 

As Peter, Peck and Dana lowered Arianna in, Egon glanced over at Janine. The Egon look alike had released her; she was knelt onto the floor catching her breath. She had been beaten up a bit. She then slumped over onto the ground, unconscious.

As the trap closed, Arianna could be heard screaming. The imps disappeared into thin air after Arianna was captured. 

Egon rushed over to check on Janine’s condition. She slowly opened her eyes, a bit disoriented at first. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she sat up abruptly. She used her hands to push herself backwards as her feet pushed away from Egon. She had an expression of extreme panic on her face. 

Sensing that he was somehow causing Janine’s reaction, Egon slowly stood and stepped back a few steps. “Peter! Janine needs help!”

Peter joined Egon, seeing that Janine had pressed herself against the wall. She started to scream as tears ran down her face. 

Painfully, Peter rushed to her side and knelt down. He reached out with his good hand and gently touched her shoulder. “Shhhhh, it’s ok. It’s me; Peter. It’s ok. Those imps are gone. You’re safe now.” He saw Janine’s eyes glance over to Egon and return to him. Peter understood what she was thinking. “That’s really Egon - the real deal. It’s ok. You know Spengs; he’d never hurt you. The things that attacked you are gone.”

Janine had stopped screaming and slowly calmed down. She was shaky but overall, in good health. Peter helped her stand and motioned to Egon to stay behind them a bit. 

Together, they made it out of the den and back out to where Ecto-1 was. Ray was sitting in the driver’s seat with Andrea standing next to the open door. 

“Peck, do you mind driving?” Peter asked as Janine sat up front. Ray and Andrea sat in the back with Peter in the middle, Egon by the door. 

“Yeah, I’ll manage. I’m the one best able to drive at this point,” Peck replied lightly.

Ecto-1 made its way to the nearest hospital, sirens blaring.


	4. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has some recovering to do.

The vehicle made its way to the nearest hospital. They were all taken into separate exam rooms to be checked and treated. Peck saw Nadia sitting in the waiting area. He sat down beside her. 

“How are you?”

She looked at him, her eyes swollen and red. Her hands were folded in her lap. “Winston’s in surgery. His arm was broken in two places. They’re going to put a pin in it. But his head injury isn’t that bad. He’s gonna be ok.”

Peck gave her a reassuring smile. “See? Everything is fine.”

“Did you …. did they … get that …. thing?”

“Yes, all taken care of.”

Two hours later, Egon, Peter, and Dana were in the lobby with Peck and Nadia. Shortly after, Ray and Andrea came out. Ray had been given a muscle relaxer and had drifted to sleep on Andrea’s shoulder; Egon’s shoulder had been set and his arm in a sling; Peter’s wrist was just severely sprained. It had been placed in a brace for added support. 

The doctor came out to update everyone that Winston was out of surgery and would make a full recovery. He would be transferred to a regular room soon and kept overnight for observation. The doctor expected to release Winston shortly after.

Janine’s exam took a bit longer due to her emotional trauma issues. Another forty-five minutes later, and she joined the guys, ready to be discharged. She had a few small bandages on her forearms and a very small cut on her cheek, but otherwise, she looked quite good considering what she had been through.

Egon stood to greet her, but her eyes quickly darted over to the others. Peter saw and patted Egon lightly on the shoulder. “Give her some space,” he whispered. 

“Why don’t you stay with us, Red?” Peter offered, smiling as he walked over to her. 

“I …. I don’t know …..”

Dana put a comforting arm around Janine’s shoulder. “We’re all staying, I think?”

Andrea spoke up. “Well, I was gonna take Ray back to my place, if that’s ok?” 

They all smiled, watching Ray blush. 

“That’s a great idea!” Peter said. “Let’s go check in on Zed before we go!”

Peck walked up to Peter. “I believe I’m going to my apartment, if you don’t mind? I’ve had enough for one day.” 

Peter smiled a genuine smile. “Thanks, Wally. We appreciate your help; I mean that.” He extended his hand to shake. 

Peck returned the gesture. “Don’t make it a habit.” He smirked.

“Sure, we won’t tell anybody you’re really a softie.” 

“No one would believe you anyway. Besides, I’ll deny it. After all, I do have an image to maintain.” Peck released Peter’s hand and left. 

Nadia along with Janine and the Busters, Andrea, and Dana went up to Winston’s room. He was awake and sitting up in bed. His arm had been placed in a cast to limit his movement. He smiled big when he saw everyone. “Hey guys, please tell me you got those things?”

Peter walked up to the bedside first. “Sure did! We’re all a little banged up, but we’ll live to fight another day!” 

Ray stepped up next, Andrea keeping him steady. “Glad to see you’re ok!” 

Winston chuckled. “Better than you! You’d better lie down before you pass out!”

“It’s the muscle relaxer,” Andrea explained. “I’m gonna take him home with me before he passes out!” They waved to everyone before leaving. 

“You need rest, as does everyone else!” Dana said, directing her gaze to Peter. 

He rolled his eyes, smiling. “We’ll see ya tomorrow! They’re gonna turn you loose then.” 

Egon smiled. “Yes, get some sleep. We’ll pick you up tomorrow.” He left the room.

Janine had been waiting in the hallway, still a bit restless. 

That left Nadia sitting by his bed. Winston looked at her, concerned. “What’s up, babe? And what’s wrong with Janine? It’s not like her to be so distant.”

She sighed heavily. “Winston,” her voice was tight with emotion. “Janine got roughed up a bit by some of those little creatures. One of them looked like Egon so she’s been a little apprehensive. But Peter said she’d be ok; he’s going to talk to her.”

“That’s good. He’s great with stuff like that. I can’t count the times he’s counseled us and talked us down after a rough bust!” He then noticed that she was fidgeting in her chair. “What else?”

Nadia’s eyes finally made contact with his. Tears ran down her face. She placed a shaky hand on top of Winston’s. “I ….. I don’t know …. how to say this.” 

Winston slowly pulled his hand away. He swallowed hard. 

“The things I saw today ….. then seeing you lying there like that …. seeing you here NOW, like THIS!” 

Winston’s eyes narrowed, struggling to hold back the tears. “What are you saying?”

“I can’t do this …. I mean, I love you but …,”

“You don’t love me enough to deal with all of this?”

“How can I?! I’m not cut out to do this!”

“Nadia, you know what I do for a living! It’s no secret!”

“Yeah but actually being out there? In the middle of it?! And seeing you in this condition….,” she gestured to his hand. “I’m sorry. I’m not cut out for this. I really am sorry.” She stood to leave. “Do you need me to do anything?”

Winston sadly looked in the other direction. “No. The guys will pick me up. Thanks for helping.”

Nadia left, tears streaming down her face. 

Fifteen minutes later, a nurse came in. “Good afternoon, Mr. Zeddemore! I’m Kayla, your nurse for the rest of the day! The doctor ordered some pain medication for you.” She saw the sad look on his face. She gently reached out and laid her hand over his. “Mr. Zeddemore?”

He turned his head to face her. “Pain medication?” 

“Yes. Are you ok?”

He took in her appearance. She was roughly five feet, six inches tall, light skinned with beautiful green eyes. Her long hair was a deep brown with auburn highlights. Her figure was thin with curves in all the right places. 

“Mr. Zeddemore?”

“Call me Winston,” he said pleasantly. 

“Are you in pain?”

“Kind of, but nothing those pills will help.” He looked sad again. 

“Maybe not but your doctor ordered them, so ….,” she handed him a cup of water and a cup with two tablets. 

He took them and laid back on the pillows. 

“You’re a Ghostbuster, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, afraid so,” he said warily. 

“Sounds like an interesting job. I keep up with you guys on tv. I admire your bravery. You probably don’t hear that enough?”

Winston looked at her. “Well, my girlfriend just dumped me for my bravery. So…..,”

Kayla gave him a stern look. “Well, Winston, if you don’t mind me saying, she was an idiot.”

He looked at her, surprised. 

“What I mean is, she should’ve known what kind of things to expect in your line of work. If she couldn’t handle it, then she just wasn’t the right girl for you.” She smiled warmly and picked up a white board marker. She wrote her name on the board. “Call me at the nurse’s station if you need anything.” She then sauntered out of the room.

Winston leaned back on the pillows again, adjusting the bed so he could sleep. He smiled as the pain medication kicked in.

*************************  
The trip to the firehouse was a quiet one. Dana drove Ecto with Janine sitting up front. Peter and Egon sat in the back. Ray and Andrea had taken a cab. As soon as the vehicle pulled into the garage, Peter looked at Dana. “Why don’t you take Janine to the bunk room? She can rest there for now. Me and Spengs will get the sofa bed pulled out in the rec room. Between his good arm and my good hand, we’ll manage.”

Dana read between the lines. She knew Peter wanted time to talk to Egon and to give Janine a chance to calm down. When they arrived at the bunk room, Janine sat down on Egon’s bed. “I’m gonna get you a glass of water; I’ll be right back,” Dana said. 

Peter had told her earlier about a bottle of Valium that he keeps in the bathroom cabinet. It comes in handy occasionally for the guys to take after they’ve had a really bad day. She took one out of the bottle and got a cup of water. She returned to the bunk room and gave it to Janine. 

Janine took the pill without question. She then laid back on the bed, closing her eyes and waiting for sleep to claim her. 

Meanwhile, Peter and Egon were slowly getting the couch turned into a sofa bed. When bedtime comes later, Peter had said Egon could sleep there if Janine was still uncomfortable being around him. He and Dana could use two of the other beds in the bunk room. 

He could see the anguish on Egon’s face. “Talk to me, Spengs.”

He looked at Peter sadly. “I had asked her to have dinner with me tonight. Now, she can’t even look at me. What do I do now?!”

“First of all, way to go! It’s about time you asked her out! Second, there’s no way you could’ve known this was gonna happen. She needs time to get over this. I’m sure afterwards, she’ll be more than happy to go out on that date! For now, give her space.”

Egon sighed heavily.

Peter went to the bunk room to check on Janine. 

She heard him come in and opened her eyes, sitting up. Dana left the room to give them privacy to talk. “Hey there,” he said softly. 

Janine just smiled. 

“You realize that we got rid of the imps, right?”

She nodded. 

“You also realize that one of them shifted to copy Egon, right? He loves you, and he would never hurt you.”

She nodded again. 

“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said softly.

“It was just scary, seeing him like that. I mean, I know it wasn’t him. But, for a while, I kinda forgot it wasn’t really him. He’s a tall guy; he could really do that if he wanted.” 

Peter reached over to take her hands in his. He could feel her body trembling. “Egon can be intimidating, and he could jack somebody up. But he would never, ever hurt you or any of us.”

She shook her head. “We were supposed to go out tonight.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that. Congrats! You’ve waited a long time for this!”

“I can’t …. not now.”

“He understands that.”

“I don’t mean tonight; I mean ….. for a while.”

“I understand. I’ll let him know. You just get some rest.”

Janine laid back down while Peter stepped out. Dana had been waiting in the hallway. “Can you stay with her for a while? I need to talk to Spengs.”

“Of course! Is she ok?”

“Just shaken up.”

“Is that it? What about Egon? I heard him say something about a date tonight?”

“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. At least, not tonight.”

Dana’s smile faded, then she went into the bunk room to sit down on the bed next to where Janine was laying. 

Peter returned to the rec room. Egon was sitting on the edge of the sofa bed, looking up at Peter when he entered the room.

“Spengs, She’s gonna be ok, but I’m gonna have to have some sessions with her. She’s gonna need to be on meds for a while, too. But she will be ok.”

“It sounds like bad news is coming?” Egon said warily.

Peter rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeahhh, I know you two were really close to finally getting together. That’s gonna have to wait.”

“What?! Why?!”

“She’s dealing with some really heavy emotional trauma.”

“Tell me,” Egon urged, his tone very firm.

“A small group of imps beat her. She fended them off pretty good, but they still got some hard hits in. The bad thing of it is that these things could imitate other people. When they were hitting her, they looked like … you.”

Egon’s expression saddened but also, realization hit him. “That explains why she didn’t want me to be close by. I saw it, too but I thought she would know the difference?”

“Yeah. She’ll come around, but we’ve gotta take it slow.”

“Of course, I understand. Can I at least see her?”

“Sure, but keep your distance. If she wakes up and sees you, it might freak her out. But I’ve given her a sedative; she’ll be out for a while.”

Egon walked in quietly. Dana looked up and offered him a warm smile. She was sitting by Janine’s bedside. 

He sat down a few feet away on the edge of Peter’s bed. “She looks so peaceful,” he whispered.

“Yes, don’t worry, Egon. She’s strong; she’s going to be ok.”

“Yes, but I hate that she’s suffered. All because of us,” he said softly as he hung his head. 

Dana walked over to where he sat and lightly touched his arm. “Now you listen to me, Doctor!” She spoke softly but sternly. “This woman loves you a hell of a lot, not to mention all you guys mean the world to her! She moved heaven and hell to come after you! She even got Peck, of all people to help! And she’d do it again if she had to.”

Egon slowly raised his head and looked at Dana. “You think so?”

“Yes, I do!”

He smiled faintly. 

Just then, Janine stirred, opening her eyes. Dana rushed back to her side, taking her hand. 

“It’s ok, Janine! I’m here!”

She helped Janine sit up, propping some pillows up behind her. 

Egon held his breath as Janine’s eyes met his. He didn’t want his presence to alarm her in any way. 

“Egon?” she asked quietly. 

“Yes, he’s here,” Dana replied. “Is that ok? He just wanted to see you.”

“I can leave if she wants me to,” Egon offered.

“No! Please stay with me, Egon!” Janine pleaded, tears in her eyes. She reached out her arms for him.

Dana nodded, silently standing and moving away as Egon slowly approached the bedside. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed. Janine leaned forward, pulling him to her. He cautiously wrapped his arms around her, relieved that she didn’t seem upset.

“I was worried that my presence would upset you?” 

Janine pulled back enough to look up at him. “Of course not!”

“But Peter told me that the imps took on my form when they ….,” his voice trailed off. 

Janine smiled. “They did, but I know the difference between them and the real thing. I know that you’d never hurt me.” She leaned back into the embrace, sighing heavily. “I was confused for a while, but Peter told me some things that helped.”

Egon just smiled. “I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you, too,” she replied. 

Dana had quietly exited the room, closing the bunk room door halfway to allow them some privacy. Peter came down the hall to check on Janine. 

“Hey babe! What’s going on?”

Dana held a finger over her lips. “Shhhh! Egon and Janine are talking.”

Peter’s eyes widened in surprise. “And she’s not freaking out?!”

“Not at all,” Dana smiled. 

“Wow! I thought for sure she’d go bananas if she woke up and saw Spengs in there?!”

“You underestimate Janine’s love for him, and for all you guys.”

“Yeah, well ….. we can’t help it if we’re irresistible!” Peter drawled with a grin.

Dana smiled and shook her head while she leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. 

Peter pulled her in for a hug. “My hero,” he whispered.


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up loose ends.

Winston had called the firehouse to let them know that the doctor was releasing him soon. Peter assured him they would be there to pick him up. He didn’t tell them about the break up with Nadia; he’d wait until later.

Andrea had also called saying that Ray was still resting; he wanted to stay at her place another day. The guys were more than happy and agreed that it was best. She said they’d be by soon to see Winston. 

Janine and Egon were better. She was back to fussing over him and playing nurse for his shoulder. She had a restless night though; Peter prescribed her a mild anxiety medication to take the edge off at night. Egon assured him that he would make sure she took it, even if he had to stay by her side every night (an idea Janine LOVED). Peter also told her that they would have a few sessions to help her deal with the experience. 

Peter and Dana drove Ecto to the hospital to pick up Winston. Kayla brought him out in a wheelchair; he had a grin spread wide across his face. Peter noticed but to his credit, he kept his mouth shut.

Winston stood and turned to face Kayla. “Thanks for everything.” 

She smiled, handing him the discharge instructions. She leaned forward and whispered, “Call me; my number is on the back page.” She gave him a wink and squeezed his shoulder, then returned the wheelchair inside.

Dana got in the back to allow Winston to sit up front with Peter. As they began their trip to the firehouse, Peter began his teasing. “Sooooo, What was THAT about?”

“I thought Nadia would be here?” Dana added.

Winston cleared his throat. “Well, Nadia made it clear that the Ghostbusting business isn’t what she’s comfortable with.”

“So dating a Ghostbuster isn’t either?” Dana replied angrily.

“No, afraid not.”

“But hey, looks like you’ve already got a good one lined up!” Peter pointed out.

Winston grinned sheepishly. “I’m gonna give it my best shot! She’s a nurse and started up a conversation last night after you guys left. Seems she’s interested in what we do, and she’s grateful that we risk our lives for New York.”

“She’s a nurse so maybe she’ll be more understanding with your work schedule?” Dana said.

“Probably. I’ve got her number so we’ll see! Nadia told me about Janine. Is she ok?” The worried tone in his voice was heard.

“Oh yeah! She got a little mixed up when she saw Iggy, but she’s gonna be ok! Hell! She’s already playing nurse and keeping him in line!” Peter chuckled.

“Good. It seemed like they were close to finally getting together!”

“Yes, Janine’s excited! But Egon insists on waiting a few more days. He said he wants to give her time to completely straighten out,” Dana said.

“Yeah right! That must be what Janine told you!” Peter replied.

“She did! Why? Did Egon tell you something else?!”

Peter laughed. “Let’s just say it’s been a while and now that he's finally admitted how he feels, Spengs is a bit anxious to ….. get going.”

Winston laughed while Dana just rolled her eyes. 

“Man, I’ve missed this!”

“You were only in the hospital one night, Zed!”

“Yeah, but it’s been a while since I’ve felt this good!”

They all laughed and had light conversation back to the firehouse.

By the time they arrived, Andrea’s car was parked out front. “Alright! Ray’s here!” Peter shouted as Ecto-1 pulled in.

Everyone was waiting at Janine’s desk with huge smiles. Winston got out of the car, along with Peter and Dana. 

Slimer was the first to welcome him, being careful to not get too close. “Wiiinnnnsstoooonnnn!”

“Hey Spud! How you doin’?” Winston held out a cookie with his good hand. Slimer dove down, grabbed the cookie, and flew up through the ceiling. Winston looked at the others. “Dessert from my dinner tray at the hospital last night.”

Slowly, everyone welcomed him back, each wary of their own injuries. They all went up to the rec room to sit and catch up. Peter, Ray and Egon brought Winston up to speed on everything that had happened while he was knocked out. 

“Wow, Janine! You got the girls and Peck?! You weren’t kidding around?!” Winston exclaimed.

Janine smirked. “Yeah, well, somebody had to rescue you guys! Besides, Egon owes me a date!” She winked playfully at the physicist, who blushed slightly. “And, Dana was the one who put ‘Dickless’ in his place!”

Dana laughed lightly. “Our wedding is in two months! I was going to make sure that Dr. Venkman was going to show!”

They all laughed.

“One thing I wanna know,” Peter started. “One of those wolf things became transparent; the streams went right through it! Why?”

Egon adjusted his glasses. “I’ve been researching that actually. That’s the first time we’ve experienced it. Apparently, the creatures had an ability to be able to concentrate their power to where if threatened, they could change their PKE signatures to avoid capture. I’m not sure if it’s an ability the creatures have or if Arianna had anything to do with it.”

“Thank goodness you got HER!” Dana added. 

“Yeah, that was one mean woman!” Andrea said.

“Indeed,” Egon agreed.

“Sorry about Nadia,” Janine said sadly.

Winston shrugged his shoulders. “It’s for the best.” He gave Peter a smile.

The evening ended with pizzas and sodas for everyone. Ray went back with Andrea to her place. Winston, Peter and Egon retired to the bunk room while Dana and Janine shared the sofa bed. 

Everyone’s injuries eventually healed. At the end of the week, Egon and Janine went out on their date, which would be the first of many yet to come. Winston called Kayla and hit it off very nicely. 

Peter counseled Janine for a month to make sure she wasn’t traumatized any further. By then, he was ready to get things lined up for his and Dana’s wedding. 

So, all in all, another normal day for the Ghostbusters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this last chapter might be a bit lame. By the time I got to this point, I honestly didn’t know what else to say, Lol. Thanks for sticking around. ☺️


End file.
